Inter Miami to Make MLS Playoff Debut

Through a year of tremendous adversity in their inaugural season, Inter Miami was able to sneak into the MLS Playoffs by way of the 10th position in the Eastern Conference standings. The club’s first-ever playoff game takes place tonight at Nissan Stadium as they take on fellow MLS expansion side Nashville SC.

But of course, there’s not an Inter Miami match that hadn’t had trouble going into it, and this game is no different.

Reviewing the First Two Ties

Before we get into that, Inter Miami and Nashville SC faced off twice in the regular season. Although MANY things have changed since those matchups, it’s still important to note the scorelines and how things went.

The first match between the two sides took place on August 30th in the same place the game will be tonight. Nashville SC has identified themselves as a solid defensive side, and this game proved to be one of their good defensive performances. Despite Miami creating 11 chances in the match, they ended the 90 minutes scoreless and saw defeat after a poorly cleared cross found Anibal Godoy open at the top of the box. Godoy was able to beat Luis Robles from long range, and that goal stood as the only one in the entire match. With Miami unable to convert their chances in the final third, Nashville saw out the win and kept all three points at home.

Fast forward to September 6th, where they met again but in Fort Lauderdale this time. Both teams took a point to their season totals as this game ended in a nil-nil draw. Nashville created a total of 13 chances that resulted in nine shots but only four on target. The offensive approach from Nashville in this match was the complete opposite from the first time, where they only had five shots, with two on target. I guess you could say less is more. However, Miami did fire all on fronts but again failed to convert any of their chances.

Also noteworthy that Gonzalo Higuain was not a part of either match as his signing was not completed this early on in the year. Blaise Matuidi, though, was a part of the second match between the two teams, and it’s safe to say he’ll be part of the one tonight as well.

Player News and Expectations for Tonight’s Match

So what should tonight’s matchup bring? Due to reports yesterday, the general public was informed that three Inter Miami players had not traveled due to positive COVID-19 tests. Both Higuain brothers, Gonzalo and Federico, along with Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, were the ones that have not made the trip to Nashville.

In other player news, it was confirmed by Inter Miami manager Diego Alonso that Rodolfo Pizarro, Brek Shea, and Nico Figal are all available tonight despite each player’s own complications.

Pizarro had recently left South Florida for two international friendlies with the Mexican National Team. His availability was not likely until MLS released a protocol in which they would charter flights for MLS players abroad to bypass the 10-day quarantine process. Along with Victor Wanyama for Montreal, he and Pizarro were two key players MLS wanted back for their postseason.

Brek Shea was on the “not medically cleared to play” list for quite some time. The thought is that when a player is on that list, they have tested positive for COVID-19, but the club or the league confirmed nothing. Shea is back, however, and Alonso now has a fan favorite at his disposal.

Nico Figal went down with an injury in Inter Miami’s game against FC Dallas on October 28th. The club confirmed that the defender was dealing with a muscle injury in his leg. Fortunately for Inter Miami, he is available tonight. He will be needed, too, as LGP is out with COVID, and Andres Reyes is suspended for this game after picking up a red card in the season finale vs. FC Cincinnati.

With these returnees and players that are out, how should Miami line up tonight? That’s for Diego Alonso to decide, but me to speculate.

With the defensive options running extremely thin, Figal will have to start at the center back position. A late bloomer this season in the defense has been A.J. De LaGarza, who has seen time both at center back and at right-back. I think it’d be smart for Alonso to utilize A.J.’s versatility and play him at CB alongside Figal. The wing-backs have come down to the coach’s preference all season. On the left, Ben Sweat played most of the year as the starter but has been replaced in recent weeks by Mikey Ambrose, who scored an absolute worldie last time out. Alonso should feed the hot and leave Ambrose as the starter. With no Figal or A.J. to play on the right, Alonso will have to decide between the rookie, Dylan Nealis, or the MLS veteran, who he sat all year after a poor performance in the club’s inaugural game in LA, Alvas Powell. Powell got his chance against FC Cinincianntti and put in a very decent performance. Personal preference would be to go with Nealis, who has had more game experience this season, but Powell is a solid option.

The midfield will consist of both Blaise Matuidi and Wil Trapp, as that’s been the best duo the team has had in the latter half of the year. If Alonso sticks with his 4-2-3-1 formation, these will be the guys in front of the backline.

Up front is now where things get interesting. Lewis Morgan is the OBVIOUS choice to start, and really that goes without saying. The other three attacking positions might be up in the air. No Higuain means the team has to address the striker role and who plays around him. The last time Higuain did not play, Julian Carranza was the striker of choice for Alonso. However, we have seen Robbie Robinson start this year up top as well as Juan Agudelo. It’ll likely be Carranza since Alonso has also used Agudelo on the left-wing after Matias Pellegrini lost his starting spot.

Is Pizarro ready to play 90 minutes as a number 10? On international duty just three days ago, he played 89 minutes as a starter for the Mexican National team against Japan. This game was on Tuesday, and on Friday, Rodolfo may be asked to do it again. Quite the test of fitness for Inter Miami’s first-ever Designated Player.

Oh, and John McCarthy will be starting in goal as Robles is still healing from a fractured arm, and Drake Callender has not yet made his mark on an MLS stage.

My prediction for the starting XI tonight is as follows:

4-2-3-1

Carranza (ST)

Agudelo / Pizarro / Morgan (LM, CAM, RM)

Matuidi / Trapp (CDM, CDM)

Ambrose / Figal / AJD / Nealis (LB, CB, CB, RB)

McCarthy (GK)

Predictions

Both clubs are in their first-ever playoff match. Their first ever win-or-go-home games that could shape their future for the next couple of years. The stakes are massive for both sides and mean a ton for both franchises and fan bases.

With that said, when you factor in how Nashville and Miami have played against each other in the past, and how Miami lacks goal scoring in their side and Nashville is a VERY defensive team, this game will be close.

Don’t expect a goal-fest. Expect a very gritty, get stuck in the mud kind of game where both teams play not to lose until the opening goal actually comes. As the leading team in clean sheets recorded, Nashville will look to keep that up while Miami may try and play the same way but break on a counter.

With Lewis Morgan to worry about on the wing and Pizarro’s creative genius, I think they may counter early out of the half time break and make it 1-0 within the 50′ minute mark. Nashville will equalize quickly after. Then, in dramatic fashion, Miami will find themselves with a late winner to put them on the right side of a 2-1 scoreline, and they’ll be headed to Philadelphia.

The game is at 9 pm EST on ESPN2.